This summer, NBC Sports’ social media team is conducting the #NHLGreatest initiative, designed for fans to choose the best player in each franchise’s history. Balloting was conducted through three platforms — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — with thousands of votes being cast. The results of this initiative will be released throughout the month of August, in conjunction with PHT’s Team of the Day series.

Chicago Blackhawks

1. Bobby Hull — 1,074 votes

2. Stan Mikita — 528 votes

3. Patrick Kane — 320 votes

4. Jeremy Roenick — 225 votes

5. Other — 368 votes

He’s scored the most goals in Chicago Blackhawks history with 604 and he’s second to Stan Mikita in points and games played. Yes, Bobby Hull, “The Golden Jet”, was the icon in Chicago.

With the Blackhawks, he was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 1960 and led them to the Stanley Cup in 1961. He also led the NHL in goals seven times before parting ways with Chicago rather acrimoniously to play for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA. Check out what Hull told Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post in 2010 about how the older Bobby Hull would’ve advised the younger him.

“Um, I would have to say, ‘You’re backed in a corner, son. Go to it.’ That’s exactly what happened. [Chicago] backed me into a corner, they never offered me a contract while they were off floating around in their 110-foot ship in the Caribbean. They didn’t seem like my 15 years of blood, sweat and tears for them made any difference. They pissed me off, a few years before that, on a number of occasions.”

Despite the ugly parting, he’s a man forever etched into the memories of Blackhawks fans for what he did to electrify the city in the 60s and 70s.

Considering all the success the team has had in the past few years, you’d think Kane or Jonathan Toews would’ve earned a few more votes, but it looks like hardcore ‘Hawks fans did their part to recognize the all-time greats.

For newbie fans, the Chicago Blackhawks’ greatest duo might already be Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.* The truth is that those two players have a long way to go to eclipse the team’s legendary one-two punch of Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita.

Former owner Bill Wirtz rubbed the two former players the wrong way during his time as owner, but the team rebuilt their ties with the two aging faces of its franchise once Rocky Wirtz took over. The icons have been invited back for various events, but Saturday night featured a fitting moment: the team revealed statues for both of them in a classy ceremony.

Check out video of the announcement below.

* – Oddly, no one’s really making an argument for Eric Daze and Alexei Zhamnov.

PHT’s Morning Skate takes a look around the world of hockey to see what’s happening and what we’ll be talking about around the NHL world and beyond.

Kevin Weekes explains what makes Jaromir Jagr as good as he is at age 39. Hint: He’s more than just a rink rat. (NHL.com)

Kings forward Trevor Lewis is trying to figure out a nickname for new guy Mike Richards. With Brad Richardson in town, it’s a good thing they didn’t also get Brad Richards this summer. Everyone can’t be “Richie”… Can they? (Mayors Manor)

Like it or not, Bill Simmons is becoming a Kings season ticket holder this year because he won’t have the Clippers to obsess over. (Grantland)

After a little bit of confusion and some necessary communication, Evander Kane will in fact wear his #9 when the Jets open their season against the Montreal Canadiens. Of course, the uncertainty stemmed from the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg and taking on the old Jets moniker. It’s unchartered territory for a franchise to move to a city and take on a new identity—an identity that’s history was shipped to Phoenix in the 1990s. The Coyotes currently have Bobby Hull’s, Thomas Steen’s, and Dale Hawerchuk’s numbers retired. But those were all Winnipeg Jets players who retired their numbers—so it’s a little awkward when there’s a new team called the Winnipeg Jets and players who are wearing the retired numbers.

Evander Kane – a player who has worn #9 throughout his career – has treated the entire situation with class. Instead of simply assuming that he’d be able to wear the number because he’s worn it in the past, he asked the team and confirmed with Hull himself that it would be acceptable for him to continue wearing the number he’s grown up with. It’s not an instance where a young player is disrespecting the past; he understands the importance of Bobby Hull to the Winnipeg area:

“”Bobby was an outstanding player who represented the city and it’s definitely a real honour to be able to wear that number. You know, I was just checking about what the organization’s plans were for No. 9 and then this story seemed to become a lot bigger than I thought it would.”

“And I did get the feeling from a lot of people on Twitter and others that many were encouraging me to wear it.

“I’m pretty excited just to see a jersey let alone to pull one on,” Kane added with a chuckle. “It’s going to be fun for all the guys that first day in the dressing room pulling on that jersey for the first time. That opening night against the Montreal Canadiens (Oct. 9)… it’s a little bit away still, but it’s hard not to think about it. It’s going to be a real special moment in which history will be made. I can’t wait.”

Teammate Bryan Little had a similar dilemma with the #10 jersey that he wore in Atlanta. Moving to Winnipeg, he would now be wearing Dale Hawerchuk’s retired jersey. For Little, the decision was to simply change jerseys—he’ll be rocking the #18 next season. The organization told him he could do has he pleased and chose to switch numbers and avoid any potential problems.

Just because Kane went a different route doesn’t necessarily mean he made the wrong decision. The most important point was for Kane was to be respectful throughout the entire process. If he came in and acted like he was going to wear any number he wanted, it wouldn’t have mattered if Hull gave his blessing. Since Kane showed the proper respect for one of the games greats, he’s scored points with young and old fans alike.

To recap: Dale Hawerchuk’s #10 has been de facto retired by Bryan Little. Bobby Hull has told the organization that Evander Kane can wear #9. Thankfully no one on the roster wears #25 or we’d be talking to Thomas Steen to get his opinion on the matter.